In what can only be described as a life-altering event, Oregon Lottery officials held a press conference this Monday to unveil the identities of the winners who struck gold in this month’s colossal $1.3 billion Powerball jackpot. The lucky individuals, whose fortunes have taken a spectacular turn, are 46-year-old Cheng Saephan, his wife Duanpen Saephan, who is 37, and their friend Liza Chao, age 55. The trio had participated in the historical drawing on April 6, which has since been a hot topic of national conversation.
Portland residents Cheng and Duanpen Saephan, together with Milwaukie’s own Chao, will share the gargantuan after-tax winnings, estimated at over $422 million.
Cheng Saephan stood alone amongst the three to speak to the awaiting press. His story is one of struggle and perseverance; an immigrant from Laos who made the United States his home back in 1994, Saephan has fought a valiant battle against cancer since 2016, receiving chemotherapy treatments as recently as a week ago. Before his diagnosis, he worked as a machinist within the aerospace industry.
Upon realization of his incredible win, Saephan reflected on his family’s future, overwhelmed by the economic security it now promised. He humbly contemplated, “how am I going to have time to spend all of this money?”
For Cheng Saephan, playing the lottery was habitual – for the fateful draw, he had chipped in with Chao to buy $200 worth of tickets. Every night, ritualistically, he went to sleep with a slip of paper inscribed with the Powerball numbers under his pillow, hopeful yet surprised by the scale of his win.
Divine hope played a crucial role in Saephan’s fortune, as he confided to the media: “I prayed to God to help me,” acknowledging his ongoing health concerns and his desire to secure the well-being of his young children.
As for how he intends to utilize the windfall, Saephan shared his desire to purchase a dream home in Oregon, his adopted state.
The jackpot in question has inscribed itself in the annals of Powerball history as the fourth largest ever recorded, marking the third time in just a year that a prize has landed a spot in the top five rankings. Notably, this prize eclipses the previous record in Oregon, which topped off at $340 million back in 2005.
Saephan revealed that the winning numbers for the April 6 draw – 22, 27, 44, 52, and 69 with Powerball number 9 – were not his hand-picked choices but rather the result of a “quick pick.”
This remarkable story serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of luck. The chances of clinching the Powerball jackpot are astoundingly slim, with players facing odds of one in nearly 292.2 million. Getting a $1 million prize is marginally more likely, at one in 11.7 million, and the probability of winning any prize stands at roughly 1 in 25.
The everyman dream of winning the lottery was made tangible for Saephan, his family, and their friend Chao. Their narrative is one laced with unlikely probabilities, persistence, and faith in the possibility of a brighter future. It’s a tale that undoubtedly will ripple through the consciousness of lottery enthusiasts and dreamers nationwide, as the trio embarks on a transformative journey, reshaping their lives with the winnings from a game of chance sponsored by Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY network.
